On Wednesday, the Delhi Police refused to grant permission to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and another group to conduct processions in the Jahangirpuri area of the national capital on April 6, the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti.
According to a statement given to ANI by the Delhi Police, the VHP and another organization had applied for permission to hold processions on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. However, due to concerns regarding the law and order situation, the organizers were not granted permission.
During a “shoba yatra” held on Hanuman Jayanti last year, clashes erupted between two communities in the area on April 16th.
The police have stated that they have implemented extensive security measures in the Jahangirpuri area in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti.
The Delhi Police and Paramilitary Force personnel are conducting patrols in the area.
Delhi Police had denied permission for Ram Navami procession in Jahangirpuri
Last month, the Office of the Police Commissioner (north-west Delhi) denied permission for carrying out an idol procession during Ram Navami in the Jahangirpuri area of Delhi.
A Hindu devotee had requested permission to organise the annual event but it was turned down by the police, citing the law and order situation.
“I am directed to inform you that your request for Shree Ram Bhagwan Pratima Yatra on the occasion of Ramnavami Mahotsav on 30.03.23 has been considered by the competent authority but could not be acceded to from a law and order point of view,” the police said in a statement.
Violence at Jahangirpuri during Hanuman Jayanti in 2022
On April 16 last year, a Hanuman Jayanti procession was attacked by Islamists in the Jahangirpuri area of Delhi. The procession was moving peacefully but was stopped by one Ansar Sheikh and his accomplice near the Jama Masjid.
They initiated an argument, which quickly escalated into stone-pelting, resulting in a stampede in the procession. According to the FIR, the police attempted to take control of the situation, but Islamists disregarded the orders and set vehicles on fire.
They also pelted stones and glass bottles at the Hindu devotees. Later, a video of an Islamist named Sonu Chikna, firing shots at the procession, went viral on social media.
(This news report is published with inputs from news agencies)
India has strongly rebutted the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) for its declaration regarding India in which the group criticised the alleged acts of violence against minorities in India. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), called out the group for its ‘communal mindset’ and ‘anti-India agenda.’ The Islamic nations’ body, according to the ministry, had its credibility tarnished by being used as a pawn by anti-India elements.
“We strongly condemn the statement issued by OIC Secretariat regarding India. This is one more example of their communal mindset and anti-India agenda. OIC only does its reputation damage by being consistently manipulated by anti-India forces,” a statement released by Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson MEA read.
India’s condemnation on 4th April came hours after the OIC Secretariat issued a statement and claimed that the Muslim community had been attacked in several states in India during Ram Navami processions. The OIC Secretariat mentioned that it is very concerned about the violence and vandalism targeting the Muslim community during the Ram Navami celebrations.
In the statement, the OIC Secretariat said, “It has followed with deep concern the acts of violence and vandalism targeting the Muslim community in several states in India during the Ram Navami processions, including the burning of a madrasa and its library by an extremist Hindu mob in Bihar Sharif on March 31, 2023.”
“The OIC General Secretary denounces such provocative acts of violence and vandalism, which are a vivid manifestation of mounting Islamophobia and systemic targeting of the Muslim community in India. The OIC General Secretary calls upon the Indian authorities to take firm actions against the instigators and perpetrators of such acts and to ensure the safety, security, rights and dignity of the Muslim community in the country,” the letter intimated.
Numerous clashes were recorded on March 31 and subsequently, during Ram Navami festivities in different states across India. Areas like Bihar and West Bengal experienced widespread violence, with the crowd throwing stones at the procession and torching vehicles and shops.
The conflicts even resulted in several deaths. Section 144 was imposed in Bihar’s Nalanda and Bihar’s Hooghly districts. A comprehensive report on the occurrences has been ordered by the Home Ministry.
On Monday, April 3, Congress MLA Brihaspat Singh slapped a cooperative bank employee on the premise of the Zila Sahakari Bank’s Ramanujganj Branch in Balrampur-Ramanujganj district of Chattisgarh. A controversy erupted as the video went viral on social media.
Raipur, Chhattisgarh| Viral video of Ramanujganj MLA Brihaspati Singh shows him slapping a person near the Central Bank branch in Balrampur district over a dispute over the withdrawal of money pic.twitter.com/GeyM9I07iC
As the video of the incident went viral on social media, the employees at cooperative banks in the Surguja division, which includes five districts, demanded action against the Congress legislator and declared a two-day mass leave that is Wednesday and Thursday.
In the video, it can be seen that the Ramanujganj MLA Brihaspat Singh grabbed a person by his collar and slapped him thrice while a large crowd gathered outside the bank.
The Congress MLA not only owned up to his outrageous act but also levelled serious allegations against the bank employees.
The Congress legislator said that bank employees mistreated him and defrauded farmers by fraudulently siphoning money from their accounts in exchange for paddy procurement adding that the bank employees did not release funds and also misbehaved with the farmers. He further accused them of making bogus signatures and hiding passbooks.
“I got angry and hit them. We will not tolerate injustice with farmers and will also not hesitate to break the rules if such a thing happens to the farmers,” MLA Brihaspat Singh said.
Meanwhile, a group of employees sought action against Singh in a memo they submitted to the Inspector General of Police (Surguja range) in Ambikapur town on Tuesday and addressed to chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. According to the notice, Singh allegedly hit and verbally abused peon Arvind Singh and clerk Rajesh Pal in front of numerous farmers while they were on duty.
RK Khare, president of Zilla Sahkari Kendriya Bank Karamchari Sangh Ambikapur, stated that the episode had angered and disappointed the cooperative bank employees. Government employees’ interests must be protected by public representatives, but where would they turn if the public representatives start torturing them, he questioned.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed Singh over the incident and demanded that the Congress MLA’s resignation.
कांग्रेस विधायक हताशा में आ चुके हैं, कांग्रेस विधायक नहीं दे पा रहे जनता के सवालों के जवाब, ना कोई काम करवा पा रहे हैं।
जनता के साथ मारपीट करने वाले विधायक को तुरंत पद मुक्त किया जाए। इस घटना ने छत्तीसगढ़ को शर्मसार किया है।
BJP State General Secretary Kedar Kashyap said, “Congress MLAs have come in desperation; they are unable to answer the public’s questions or do any work. The MLA who assaulted the public should be relieved of his post right away. Chhattisgarh has been disturbed by this incident.”
Troubles for the Prabhas starrer Adipurush do not seem to end anytime soon as a fresh complaint has been lodged at Mumbai’s Sakinaka Police Station against the film’s producer T-series and Retrophiles, director Om Raut and the artists. The complaint has been lodged by a person named Sanjay Dinanath Tiwari who claimed to be a preacher of Sanatan Dharma through Mumbai High Court lawyers Ashish Rai and Pankaj Mishra.
This comes after the makers of Adipurush on the occasion of Ram Navami (March 30) unveiled the poster of the film depicting Prabhas as Lord Rama, actor Sunny Singh as Lakshmana, and actress Kriti Sanon as Goddess Sita.
According to the official statement, Om Raut’s inappropriate depiction of the character from the Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas in the new poster for the movie has offended the religious sensibilities of the Hindu religious society. According to Sections 295(A), 298, 500, and 34 of the Indian Criminal Code, this complaint has been filed along with a demand for the registration of an FIR.
The complaint states that Adipurush was made on Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram’s biography in the Ramcharitmanas, a sacred text that holds special significance in Hinduism.
Shri Ram’s costume is contrary to the natural spirit of Ramcharitmanas
“Maryadapurushottam Shri Ram ji has been shown in this poster in a costume against the natural spirit and nature of “Ramcharitmanas” mentioned in the Hindu scripture,” the complaint added.
Adding to other allegations, the complaint reads, “All of the Ramayana’s characters are depicted in the newly released poster for the Bollywood film Adipurush without Janeu. In Hindu Sanatan Dharma, which has been practiced for many generations by adherents of Sanatan Dharma, Janeu holds special significance. In the Balakand of the Hindu sacred text “Ramcharitmanas,” Janeu is mentioned specifically.”
Adipurush poster depicts Sita Ji without vermillion
The complainant asserts actress Kriti Sanon who is playing the character of Goddess Sita is depicted in the poster without vermilion, making it evident that she is being portrayed as an unmarried woman. “This demonstrates that Bollywood filmmakers, directors, and artists have deliberately committed this error. Sanatan Dharma and its followers have been insulted due to such type of act. This indecent act is definitely condemnable ,” the complaint said.
The complainant alleged that Hindus are being intentionally targeted. It has also been claimed that the makers of the film are sending the wrong message and this may pose a law and order issue in the country.
It is pertinent to mention that ever since the release of its trailer, the film Adipurush has been faced with multiple complaints and petitions. In October last year, the National Cine Workers Union served a legal notice for criminal prosecution against the creators and performers of Adipurush, including director Om Raut, producer Bhushan Kumar, Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan, Kriti Sanon, and others. In the legal notice issued by lawyer Ashish Rai, the makers of the film were accused of disrespecting the Hindu faith and values.
It is notable that the Adipurush trailer released on October 2, 2022, became one of the most controversial teasers in Bollywood. Netizens have slammed the movie for very poor VFX quality that makes the characters look like cartoon characters, and for bad character design that makes Ravana and Hanuman look like Islamist invaders. The teaser also shows that the sets of the movie are inspired by video games and Hollywood movies a TV shows, and therefore, they do not look like how various places during that age are described in the epic Ramayana.
On Tuesday, Pakistan’s central bank increased its key interest rate by 100 basis points (BPS) to a record 21% as the cash-strapped country sought to reduce severe food inflation and keep the trust of foreign creditors. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has hiked its key rate by a cumulative 1025 bps since January 2022.
The key rate of the SBP now stands at its highest-ever level as the country struggles with consumer price inflation, reaching its highest annual level of over 35% in March. The rupee depreciated to its lowest level ever as it closed at 287.29 against the dollar after falling more than 1% during the day, as reported by Reuters.
“The MPC considers the current monetary policy stance appropriate and stresses that today’s decision, along with previous accumulated monetary tightening, will help achieve the medium-term inflation target over the next eight quarters,” the bank stated in a statement and added that the early conclusion of the ninth review of the IMF program was critical to rebuilding FX reserve buffers.
The macroeconomic outlook has been affected by several significant changes that were acknowledged by the Monetary Policy Committee. The committee observed that significant import restraint had resulted in an important reduction in the current account deficit. Nonetheless, it noted that the Balance of Payments (BoP) position is still fragile since foreign exchange reserves are still at very low levels.
Investors polled by Reuters had mostly expected a rate hike of 200 basis points. According to Tahir Abbas, head of research at Arif Habib Limited, there are signs that a general economic slowdown is already inevitable, which is why the SBP may have refrained from a more aggressive rate hike.
“A majority of the high-frequency indicators already depict negative growth and a massive slowdown in the economy,” he remarked. “An aggressive rate hike won’t be of much help,” he further said.
Early in March, the bank increased its key rate by 300 basis points to 20%, outpacing market forecasts and probably doing so to satisfy an important International Monetary Fund (IMF) stipulation for the release of the awaiting bailout money.
Prices for food, drinks, and transportation have all increased by more than 45%, and the government is in discussions with the IMF to release its next tranche, which will be worth about $1.1 billion as part of a $6.5 billion rescue agreement reached in 2019.
A weakening currency, rising energy prices, and higher food prices because of Ramazan have all contributed to Pakistan’s high inflation rate, which has been exacerbated by global growth in consumer prices. Soaring prices have put pressure on household budgets and left many in dire financial crises.
The government started a programme to give free wheat to low-income families throughout the holy month to lessen the effects of record-breaking inflation and accelerating poverty. However, the initiative resulted in violence and stampedes, which has resulted in at least 21 fatalities since the beginning of Ramazan.
The desperation of people along with the paucity of food has led to violence, stampede, loot and robbery of food articles from trucks and distribution points.
Violence erupted in Howrah and Hooghly during Ram Navami celebrations. Islamists pelted stones at the procession and vandalized both public and private property. Several Hindus were also attacked by the Islamists during the violence. While the Islamists went on a rampage against Hindus, one picture of a man brandishing a gun went viral on social media after which, he was arrested in Bihar.
While Hindus were being brutalised and their religious procession was being attacked, Mamata Banerjee blamed Hindus for the violence, saying that Muslims would not commit violence during Ramzan because they would be busy in their Namaz and Roza. TMC used this image of a man brandishing a gun to blame Hindus and the BJP for the violence, claiming that it provided proof that the unrest was initiated by the people taking the Ram Navami procession out. BJP, on the other hand, said that TMC was trying to shield Islamists and shifting the blame.
It is pertinent to note that no visual, image or video, shows Sumit Shaw indulging in any violence. This is the only image, based on which, TMC is claiming that Hindus initiated the violence.
Image of Sumit Shaw brandishing a gun
The mother of the man, Sumit Shaw, spoke to the media saying that he had affiliations with TMC mostly. BJP shared the news snippet to say that TMC’s narrative had been exposed. “Sumit Shaw, the 19-year-old arrested from Munger, for flashing an illegal weapon, was closely associated with TMC MLA Gautam Chaudhary and attended their programs, claims his mother. Yet another instance of TMC planting their people, then arresting them to malign Hindus and BJP”, BJP tweeted.
Sumit Shaw, the 19 year old arrested from Munger, for flashing an illegal weapon, was closely associated with TMC MLA Gautam Chaudhary and attended their programs, claims his mother.
Yet another instance of TMC planting their people, then arresting them to malign Hindus and BJP. pic.twitter.com/n1SludpLkw
The mother of Sumit Shaw said that he used to essentially do political work for money. He would join the rallies of the party that gave him money. However, he was close to TMC MLA Gautam Chaudhary and had attended several of his rallies.
TMC on the other hand dug up pictures of Sumit Shaw with BJP functionaries and posted them as proof to claim that he was close to BJP.
.@BJP4Bengal ORCHESTRATED VIOLENCE ACROSS BENGAL on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. We have said this before & we will say it again!
Sumit Shaw has been closely associated with BJP leaders. He was recently arrested for the violence.
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) April 4, 2023
It is a fact that Islamists went on a rampage against Hindus during the Ram Navami procession. It is a fact that politics plays very little role in such aggression and it is also a fact that Mamata Banerjee blamed Hindus for taking the procession out from a “Muslim area”. However, Sumit Shaw has today been made a political rallying point by TMC to make the aggression political instead of talking about the root of the problem – unbridled Islamism and minority street veto.
Be that as it may, Sumit Shaw and what his mother said reveals important aspects of the political reality of West Bengal. Here are 5 of them.
Politics in Bengal and ideology
One might believe that politics in West Bengal is closely tied to ideological moorings. With Bengal being a stronghold of communists for decades and then TMC taking over, claiming to fight against Hindutva, one might be inclined to believe that politics in West Bengal is driven by ideological considerations. While that may be true for a political party’s top brass, for the ground cadre, it is a career just like any other.
Sumit Shaw was clearly seeking a political career regardless of the political party, as revealed by his mother. She said he used to join the functions of whichever party was willing to give him money. She does reveal he favoured TMC, however, he was clearly a political cadre for hire. Such political enthusiasts are in all parties in West Bengal.
When the power shifted from the Communists to TMC, it was the very communist ground cadre that shifted their allegiance from CPIM to TMC. When BJP appeared to be strengthening itself in Bengal during the 2021 Assembly Elections, several leaders and ground cadres joined BJP from TMC. In fact, in Bengal, there is a rampant culture of “Para dadas”, which essentially means the local head goon. The local goon is often connected to a political party. Most of them are currently in TMC since it is in power. When the BJP appeared to be becoming a political force in Bengal, several of these local goons shifted to BJP. Currently, some of them remain in BJP while others have gone back to TMC.
Sumit Shaw had no political ideology per se. He was not ideologically tied to the BJP or the TMC. He was seeking a career and was willing to join any party that paid him, even though he clearly had an affinity towards TMC (as revealed by his mother). To use his presence to blame Hindus is a dishonest ploy by the TMC.
Violence a part of Bengal’s political culture
Why was Sumit Shaw in the crowd brandishing a gun? Was it because of his Hindu identity? Was it because of his political affiliation with either BJP or TMC? With what the mother said, it is extremely clear that Sumit Shaw was a political aspirant who would join any party that would give him the time of the day. What is the one thing that helps build political careers in West Bengal? It is certainly not political ideology. It is the muscle power one wields and their capacity for violence.
With what the mother said, it is entirely possible that Sumit Shaw brandished the gun because displaying his muscle power would further his political ambitions because that is the nature of politics in West Bengal. To say that his display of power is because he was attached to BJP is essentially trying to win a political argument by obfuscating facts and ground realities of Bengal.
What we know about Hindus and Ram Navami processions
Given that we already know how people change political parties in West Bengal and that ideological moorings don’t play a role in political careers largely, it is not beyond possibility that those who affiliate themselves with TMC or CPIM were also a part of the yatra. To claim that only BJP and VHP people participated in the religious festivity is saying that no ground cadre of the two parties identify themselves as Hindus and participate in Hindu religious festivals – a claim that is outlandish, given the reality of West Bengal.
It is a fact that only one individual – Sumit Shaw – has been arrested for brandishing a weapon during the Shobha Yatra. It was not a procession where Hindus were carrying weapons en masse, like religious processions of certain other communities. To assume that Sumit Shaw was from BJP betrays everything we know about Bengal and about what his mother said. Given that only one Hindu was present in the yatra with a weapon, clearly points towards the political motive of carrying a weapon and certainly not religious.
Liberals, their Hinduphobia and politics
Ram Navami and chants of Jai Shree Ram have been under Liberal and Islamist onslaught for years. Lord Ram has been a symbol of the Hindu Renaissance where for the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, Hindus united under one umbrella, one aim of rebuilding the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya which was demolished and desecrated by Mughal invaders. Recently, we have seen several lies being spread blaming Hindus for lynching Muslims when they refused to chant Jai Shree Ram. These cases have summarily turned out to be false with investigation pointing to no communal angle in these cases.
Ram Navami Shobha Yatras have come under attack year after year, with Hindus being brutalised at an alarming rate. Such attacks, especially when the procession passes through Muslim-majority regions, have become common in the last few years. For Hindus, Ram Navami remains one of the foremost festivals and a preeminently auspicious occasion in the Hindu calendar year. On this day, Hindus seek blessings from Lord Rama, provide food to the needy, perform rituals, and take out processions among other things.
The attacks are not just on the religious beliefs of Hindus but also an attempt to extinguish their resistance.
This is why absurd and irrational explanations are put forth by the Islamists and their allies in the Left ecosystem in their attempt to demonise Ram Navami processions. Instead of blaming Islamists living in ghettos, the Ram Navami processions are held responsible for the violence because they ‘dared to’ cross ‘Muslim areas’—arbitrarily created Muslim enclaves—where the mere presence of Hindus is enough justification for the Islamist attacks on them.
Whether by design or destiny, the attacks on Ram Navami processions are nothing but attempts to create grounds to associate violence with the festival and justify the curbs till it is eventually stopped altogether. This is what the Diwali festival faced when a posse of ‘liberals’ and ‘environmentalists’ ran motivated campaigns against it, associating it with pollution even though the bursting of firecrackers scientifically contributed an insignificant amount of pollution to the environment.
For that reason, it would be extremely easy for the Left and Islamist ecosystem to link this gun to Lord Ram and the man brandishing it to all Hindus. This is only an example of their inherent Hinduphobia and their nefarious designs to connect Hindu festivals with violence instead of blaming the true perpetrators of violence against Hindus – the Islamists. While they blame Hindus for violence perpetrated by Muslims to vilify chants of Jai Shree Ram and the religious processions, the same liberals would shield Islamists and never associate terrorism with Islam and the chants of Allahu Akbar, which are often raised when terrorists blow themselves up and murder scores of unsuspecting “Kafirs”. The two-nation theory, for example, where the Muslims claim that they are incapable of co-existing with Hindus because Islam is a separate nation and culture in itself, distinct from the ways of the “Kafirs” is entirely theological, however, they would much rather write it off to the political ambitions of Jinnah rather than call out the Islamic community for their supremacist, exclusivist ideas. On the other hand, the very liberals who call theological exclusivism political when it comes to Islam and the Muslim community would attach political violence to Hinduism because it suits their agenda of not only shielding the Islamists but also demonising Hindus.
TMC has turned Sumit Shaw into a symbol to vilify Hindus, shield Islamists and win political brownie points against BJP. BJP, on the other hand, is now left defending itself against these charges instead of talking about the failure of the Mamata Banerjee government in protecting Hindus, the malicious narrative of “Muslim areas” and the rampaging Islamist mobs. Shaw, in his attempt to win political points, perhaps did not expect to be turned into a symbol which would be used to blame Hindus while they were being brutalised. What is, perhaps, of utmost concern, is that in the political slugfest, Hindus who were tormented for days in Bengal will find no justice and the Islamists will continue to get emboldened because the State has become accustomed to dereliction of its duties in the quest for Muslim votes.
Amid frenzied speculations of Kannada superstar Kiccha Sudeep joining the ruling BJP, an alleged threat letter was received by his manager, prompting the police to register a case.
According to the police, Kiccha Sudeep’s manager Jack Manju received a letter from an unknown person, threatening to release the actor’s “private video” on social media. Acting on the complaint lodged by the actor’s manager, the Puttenahalli police registered a case under sections 504, 506 and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Some senior officers are also thinking to hand over the case to Central Crime Branch (CCB), sources said. Further investigation is underway in the matter, said police.
Meanwhile, speculations are rife that the Kannda superstar will be joining the BJP on Wednesday, ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections.
The counting of votes for the Karnataka Assembly has been scheduled on May 13.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Pro-Khalistan separatist leader Amritpal Singh stayed at a Gurudwara in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, in the last week of March. On April 5, reports suggested the Police confirmed that the Gurudwara jathedar allegedly helped the fugitive pro-Khalistani preacher.
On March 27, Amritsar (Rural) SSP Satinder Singh and Jalandhar AIG (Counter Intelligence) Navjot Mahal got a tip-off about Amritpal and his aide Papalpreet’s stay at Gurudwara Janam Asthan Sant Baba Nidhan Singh, Nadalon village, Hoshiarpur. They were scheduled to move to a new location on March 28. Reportedly, Amritpal visited the Gurudwara multiple times in the past, and its Jathedar, Gurmeet Singh, was a close associate of the Sikh preacher.
On the day police got a tip-off, Jathedar Gurmeet Singh had gone to Amritsar to attend a meeting called by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh. He handed over a message to Akal Takht Jathedar from Amritpal Singh that he wanted to surrender there. However, sources were quoted by The Tribune saying Akal Takht did not accept his request.
On February 4, Amritpal Singh was one of the invitees for an event organised on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Gurudwara’s founder Baba Nidhan Singh. The Gurudwara chief confirmed that Amritpal visited the Gurudwara in the past but refused to give details as the matter is under investigation. The said Gurudwara is located 16 KMs away from the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur highway and is affiliated to Gurudwara Langar Sahib of Hazoor Sahib. It had 50 branches in Punjab and a total of 250 across the country.
Apart from Hoshiarpur Gurudwara, Amritpal Singh reportedly stayed at its different branches in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Phagwara and Ludhiana. Amritpal Singh used Gurudwara’s vehicles for transportation to different destinations and to enter Punjab again after he left the state following a massive crackdown initiated by Punjab Police and central agencies.
The Police, however, are allegedly not taking any strict action against the Gurudwara as it may lead to backlash from the Sikh community.
Notably, some reports suggest Amritpal Singh may surrender on April 7 at Talwandi Sabo. A special gathering was called on that day in Talwandi Sabo to discuss the role of Sikhs and Punjabi journalists. Other reports suggest he might surrender at Akal Takht, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, and Anandpur Sahib on the auspicious festival Baisakhi.
Crackdown on Amritpal Singh
On March 18, a massive crackdown was launched by Punjab Police and central agencies against Waris Punjab De’s chief Amritpal Singh. The Police arrested several of his associates, but Amritpal is still on the run. It was revealed during the investigation that the pro-Khalistani preacher was raising a private militia. Amritpal Singh is attempting to garner support from pro-Khalistani Sikhs in India and abroad. His links to Pakistan’s ISI have also been revealed.
A probe team of Kerala Police has arrested Shahrukh Saifi from Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri. Saifi is accused of setting his co-passengers on fire in a moving train in Kerala. On Tuesday, April 5, a special investigation team from Kerala nabbed the accused around 3 am from a train at Ratnagiri.
Shaharukh Saify, the main accused in the Kozhikode case detained from Maharashtra by Kerala Police with the help of Maharashtra ATS. Detained from Ratnagiri..
According to media reports, accused Shahrukh Saifi is currently under the custody of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).
Saifi had reportedly boarded the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train in Kozhikode at around 9.45 pm on Sunday, April 2, to pour an inflammable liquid on fellow passengers in the moving train and set them on fire.
The bodies of a woman, a man and a child were found on the tracks near the Elathur station after the incident, the police had stated. It is suspected that the 3 persons were trying to get away from the fire and may have fallen or jumped from the train to escape.
A sketch of the accused was released by the police. Earlier it was reported that a suspect was taken into custody by the UP ATS from Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr. However, UP ATS chief Navin Arora stated that the ATS team only checked his credentials, and the person was neither arrested nor interrogated.
Reportedly, the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) four-membered team on Monday visited the spot and inquired about the incident. The team suspects terror links to the incident. However, it has not officially taken over the investigation.
The Police also recovered a suspicious bag probably belonging to the accused. While NIA suspects a terror angle in the case, the state police have revealed that the incident does not seem to be an act of terror.
On April 4 (local time), former United States (US) President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records while appearing in New York Court. After the court appearance, he went to his Florida home to address his supporters. In his remarks, he said, “I never thought anything like this could happen in America. The only crime I have committed to fearlessly defend our nation.” He pointed to the alleged political vendetta and said, “Our country is going to hell.”
Trump termed the case against him as fake and alleged the charges were brought up against him to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election. He demanded the case should be “dropped immediately”. Trump is the frontrunner in the presidential elections scheduled for 2024. During his address, Trump targeted the Joe Biden administration and alleged that the ‘radical left’ prosecutors wanted to get him at “any cost”.
Lashing out at President Biden, Trump said, “Hunter-Biden laptop exposes Biden family as criminals & according to pollsters would have made a 17-point difference in the election result, we needed a lot less than that, it would have been in our favour because our country is going to hell.” Trump had surrendered before the appearance. He remained in police custody for a while, where his fingerprints and mug shots were taken.
The case against Donald Trump
As per the case filed against former President Donald Trump, he was accused of paying off two women before the 2016 US Elections to suppress the details of alleged sexual encounters with him. As he was charged on Tuesday (April 4), Trump became the first-ever sitting or former US President in history to face criminal charges.
In a statement, prosecutor Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused Trump of falsifying US business records. He said, “The defendant Donald J. Trump falsified New York business records to conceal an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election and other violations of election laws.” Notably, the judge hearing the matter has asked the former President to refrain from making any social media posts that may incite violence or civil unrest. Judge’s remarks came following prosecutors’ mentioning of Trump’s social media posts, including an allegedly threatening one where he used words like “death and destruction”.
Trump has been accused of paying $150,000 and $130,000 to women who had sex with him in the past. Bragg said he would not allow Trump to get away with a string of felonies over hush money payments. He said, “These are felony crimes in New York State. No matter who you are, we cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct. We today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law.”
Trump was released from custody after the hearing. The trial may begin in January 2024, a few months before the scheduled US presidential elections.
